Advertisement 1

Former NHL players show support for Simcoe man fighting COVID

Article content

Former NHL tough guys Ryan Vandenbussche and Dave Hutchison would take COVID-19 hard into the boards if they could.

Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content

Instead, they did the next best thing and lent moral support to a Simcoe family struggling with the fallout from the pandemic.

Vandenbussche, a native of Delhi, and Hutchison travelled with the VanNetten family to Hamilton General Hospital to show support for respected sports coach Mike VanNetten, 45.

Article content

VanNetten took ill in early April with symptoms of COVID-19. He was admitted to hospital April 8 and put on a ventilator two days later. He’s since had surgery and is taking medication to help him breathe.

On April 26, Cindy VanNetten said her brother-in-law remains on an artificial lung machine “fighting for his life.”

At times like this, it’s important for the gravely ill to think about things that are worth fighting for. For VanNetten, that is his wife Sarah, his children and – among other priorities – his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs.

Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content

To that end, Norfolk farmer Todd Boughner arranged for the delivery of sports memorabilia in an effort to lift VanNetten’s spirits.

These include a signed jersey from Leafs sniper Auston Matthews, an autographed card from former Toronto sparkplug Darcy Tucker, and a hockey stick signed by legendary Leafs captain Mats Sundin, also retired. Also in tow was an arrangement of potted flowers from the Boughner farm.

Cindy VanNetten credited Boughner with organizing the hospital visit, arranging for the memorabilia and the presence of Vandenbussche and Hutchinson, too.

“Mike is a true Leafs fan through and through,” she said. “The support shown means so much to the family.  They are incredibly grateful. Sarah was eager to tell Mike about it on her next visit with him in the intensive care unit.

“Although Mike is heavily sedated and cannot communicate, Sarah knows he’s listening.”

The community has been following Mike VanNetten’s ordeal with concern and alarm through regular family updates on social media. Wife Sarah marvelled on Facebook at the resourcefulness of the hospital care team.

“We had no idea of their level of expertise,” she reported.

“I will not talk right now in detail about them. They have saved Mike countless times.”

Article content
Comments
You must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.
Join the Conversation

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Latest National Stories
    News Near Tillsonburg
      This Week in Flyers